Built in 2004, the house was one of Strang&#39;s first projects, and it drew attention that led to other commissions.

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Max Strang Architecture

Built in 2004, the house was one of Strang's first projects, and it drew attention that led to other commissions.

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Max Strang Architecture – Max Strang

“Designing my own house was a great way for a young firm to get noticed. It created quite a buzz and was a huge turning point for me.”

“We started getting recognition and awards for homes, and saw the trend. At one point we said, Let’s only do homes unless a really incredible opportunity comes up…Now we’re working on about 10 houses, [both] high-end residences and more modest homes.”

“Moving to Telluride was not a business decision. It was more of a personal and family decision to move there. The Internet has collapsed how we do business. It’s working out extremely well. I think people respect risk taking. My partner in Miami, Jason Adams… his professionalism and expertise allows me to have peace of mind and affords me the ability to take risks.”

“Residential architecture and design is cyclical. I think we’re moving back into a period where Modernism is becoming much more in demand for homes. Modernism is not just a style, it’s more a way of life. People are coming around to recognizing that it’s a less cluttered way of living.”

After winning AIA Miami’s Firm of the Year prize, the last thing most architects would do is leave Miami. But then, most architects aren’t Max Strang, AIA. In 2010, just after Max Strang Architecture snagged the coveted firm award, the quietly confident Strang and his wife, Tamara, decided to move their family to Telluride, Colo. They had few ties there, but they loved the area’s small-town, outdoors-oriented atmosphere and natural beauty.

The firm already had built a strong regional reputation for site-sensitive modernism, so it stayed put in Miami. Strang visits monthly and works remotely the rest of the time. So far, his telecommuting experiment is working. “Being here in Telluride, I’m immersed in nature,” he says. “I find myself able to focus and be more creative for longer periods of time.”

Taking risks has become something of a habit for Strang. The University of Florida and Columbia University graduate started his firm after working for Gene Leedy, Zaha Hadid, and SHoP Architects. Strang initially took on both residential and commercial jobs, but over the past few years he and firm director Jason Richard Adams, Assoc. AIA, have opted to focus mostly on custom homes. They and their staff now have about 10 houses in the works. “We’ve never been busier,” Strang says.